10 New Zealand Wineries to Visit

Those I missed and must go back to!

Mountford was another name new to me and after tasting these wines, I have to admit feeling some satisfaction in discovering that this is a bio-dynamic estate. Using Burgundian techniques, Mountford produces a very precise and fresh Chardonnay that layers gentle notes of barrel fermentation over crisp orchard fruit. It is subtle and fairly compelling. The Pinot Noirs here are not afraid of oak, so you better not be either. They ooze minerally, musky fruit that should develop compelling complexity with time. I know I want to find out.

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In no particular order our favorites are: Mt Difficulty, Felton Road, Carrick, Akarua, Peregrine, Villa Maria, Neudorf, Fromm, Escaprment, Martinborough, Te Kairanga and Schubert. Only problem is trying to find some of the single vineyard PN or some of their more unusual varietals here in the US. :-(

I offer up that you give Destiny Bay on Waiheke and Gillman in Matakana tries, too. For my taste, they each produce the best left- and right-bank (respectively) Bordeaux blends in New Zealand. Destiny Bay has likely the most state-of-the-art facility in NZ along with an impeccable palate while Gillman has a much smaller operation with a passionate winemaker who - at a very young age - has likely forgotten more about making beautiful wine than many others here have ever known.

(And, in my humble opinion, Stonyridge *used* to produce some good reds.)

I will be traveling to NZ in May and will be on the ground for a month to pursue Tahr, fly fish, hike and of course visit kiwi wine country. I would appreciate any addtional reccommendations for places and things to do. Does any one know much about an area called gravels?

The Gimblett Gravels in the Hawkes Bay, about four hours drive north of Wellington (capital city) is famous world wide for its red Bordeaux varietal and blend wines, Syrah and Chardonnay. Jancis Robertson says her favourite Gimblett Gravels wine is Trinity Hill's "The Gimblett" 2006 and said it is also the wine made in the greatest quantity with the lowest price. Cost NZ $34 which is about the same in US $. Gimblett Gravels wines are the stuff of Bottle Shock!
There is another Gravels area called Ohau (pronounced "or hoe") Gravels and NZ's newest wine region about an hour and quarter north of Wellington. The Ohau Wines vineyard produces outstanding Pinot Gris, a distinctive Sauvignon Blanc and lately a tasty Pinot Noir, all wines around $20 a bottle. I work for them and you can contact me for travel tips at chrisandsandra@gmail.com

@Bob N - Our single vineyard Pinot is available in the US. It's called Cobblestone 'Te Muna' and our estate is in Martinborough directly across Te Muna Road from Escarpment. Check it out! http://www.cobblestonewine.com

A friend of mine lives in the Marborough region of New Zealand and I was fortunate enough to travel there with my hubby on a business trip that he went on. Fromm has a fantastic Pinot Noir we loved, Wairau River and Highfield Estate had some Riesling varieties that were outstanding. New Zealand. It was one of the most beautiful places and certainly among the very best wines we have ever purchased, not to mention a highly recommended trip!

They are so many nice vineyard in New Zealand, But few of my favorite, Trinity Hill produce a wonderful syrah "Hommage", Craggy Range lovely Sauvignon blanc, Escarpement great white but amazing Pinot, Clos Henri and Dog Point lovely Sauvignon Blanc, Rippon and Felton Road so great area was Central Otago.

I am not one to contribute marginal wines to these forums but I will endorse one wine-Wooing Tree-somewhere east of Queenstown. an absolute killer bottle of Pinot Noir that is a prize winner wherever it goes. Unfortunately no distribution in the U.S.

from the UK's perspective the wines in NZ seem almost universally over rated - hype over substance and at ridiculous prices. The only wine we had at a number of the so called best wineries in NZ from the top of NI to the tip of SI was Te Whau on Waihiki - a Syrah and it was delicious - but only 5 barrels were made and it can only be bought at the restaurarant . Yes g there and have the wine but what use is that to the wine trade? Ok fine enjoy the wine in NZ enjoy being a tourist but if you are serious about wine it still has to be the old world european wine that rules the world.

Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay is without any doubt one of the five best Chardonnays outside France. It is a very charming place to visit and don´t miss a picknick in the garden sipping their fantastic wines!

Matua.... & Shingle Peak - Chardonnay or sauvignon Blanc?? How could you miss such fine wine.... Well each to their own taste I guess, right? But how about Oyster Bay? They have a great Chardonnay. Check these out next.

From a fellow writer - the Waitaki (NZ's newest region) adds minerality to your list of attributes - the limesone boulders really haunt the wines. It makes an interesting complexity in the aromatics, especially when you get up into the higher (sub-alpine) vineyards of the Hakataramea Valley where the diurnal variation (-12C to high +38C approx). Most interesting is the Italian-influenced Pasquale wine (golds, silvers, trophy in last year) because they are made under the hand of the Italian-born owner Antonio Pasquale whose family have been in wine for centuries. They have dryness and an edge. They own the only winery in the valley. Contact is antonio"at"pasquale.co.nz

It was good to meet you at Climax GDP. Bit surprised you missed Te Mata and Dry River on you tour (but as is always the case with these things I suppose, so many wineries so little time).

The Dry River Syrah is a thing of age worthy beauty, along with the riesling you mention.
If you like the Te Mata Awatere, the Coleraine is well recognized as it's big brother and has a history of aging well ('98 is still lovely with a long life ahead of it), not to mention the Bullnose Syrah.
Also, good choice @vinosofy mentioning Pasquale.

I bet you're already planning your next trip down-under hehe. When you do look us up and we'll have a glass or 3.
- Stefan de Medici

Lived in NZ (married to a Kiwi) in 78-79 when the wine industry was not very advanced and the wine was generally pretty ordinary (in the pejorative Aussie sense). Then a decade or two later i had a taste of something called sauvignon blanc from somewhere called Cloudy Bay. It was as big a revelation as were the big Aussie wines (red and white) I learned to love in my two years there (88-89). Cloudy Bay remains a favourite, as do Craggy Range and our 'house white' Villa Maria. Even 'routine' sauv blancs like Kim Crawford and Nobilo's are really enjoyable, as long as taste trumps cachet - or lack thereof. The good reds are almost impossible to source in SoCal so except for a generic fondness for Martinborough pinot noirs, I can't claim to know any of then well enough/long enough to claim as favourites.

Thanks for all the great comments. I for one have to say that there is a lot more going on New Zealand that we might get to typically taste over here in NYC. I was thrilled to have been able to visit New Zealand and with their wine industry still in its early stages I'm sure you're going to be hearing, and tasting great things from them for years to come.